The same combination of low taxes, sparse regulation and cheap real estate that drew corporate giants such as Tesla Inc. and Oracle Corp. to Texas has hooked another industry associated with progressive California: solar power. In just three years, oil-rich Texas has added the solar equivalent of 12 nuclear reactors, putting it on the cusp of surpassing the Golden State as the top producer of electricity from solar farms. It’s already No. 1 in wind, making it the largest clean energy market in the US.
That’s a remarkable feat for a place almost synonymous with fossil fuels. But it stems from a philosophy that until recently was held dear by Texas Republicans: Government shouldn’t get in the way of business.
In Texas, solar permitting is uncomplicated. Connecting projects to the electric grid is straightforward. Then there’s cheap labor, homegrown energy expertise, plenty of sunshine and an anything-goes ethos. “There’s no ‘Mother, may I?’ here,” says Doug Lewin, who worked in the Texas Legislature on energy policy and now advises power companies. “In Texas, it’s just easier to get things done.”
